What Runs Deeper Than Blood?
by yaoinomnom
Summary: Cloud and Zack were best friends.. Cloud and Zack now hate each other, kind of. With the help of a bubbly brunette, a busty raven and a dark vampire, will the past be uncovered, will the truth come out? ZackxCloud. T for now, may become M later.
1. Chapter 1

**Pre story author notes: ehehe, I'm going to have some fun with this story, and I promise to update as frequently as possible. IT WILL CONSUME MY LIFE.**

**Disclaimer: Fictional, I only own tee plot line. Don't sue me -hides behind Zack-**

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><p>Cloud winced as the blade kissed his wrist, the pain subsiding after a few seconds, and he relished in the ecstasy of the release. The boy had never imagined himself a cutter, but then, no one ever strived to become one. He hadn't ever told anyone of his secret addiction, in fear of his parents finding out, or worse.<p>

He hadn't noticed he was crying until a short knock on the door broke him out of his trance. "Hello? Are you alright in there?" Cloud flinched at the familiar voice. He grabbed his bag, unlocking the door. "Fine," he spat, his voice icy and laced with venom. Cloud and the familiar raven haired boy stood awkwardly in front of each other for a few seconds, before Cloud shoved past him, pulling his sleeves down as he exited the bathroom.

Cloud Strife wasn't the kind of person to be so rude to someone, but Zack Fair was another story. Zack was far too tall, far too popular, far too _fucking_ perfect. He was a god damned fucking asshole. Just thinking about him made Cloud's blood boil. There had been a time when Cloud and Zack had been best friends, but it seemed so long ago, and Cloud hated to dwell on matters of the past.

Zack despised Cloud, and Cloud was all too happy to make the feelings mutual. Zack didn't care about Cloud. When the blonde boy had opened the door he was hiding behind, Zack's bright blue eyes had been full of concern, but as soon as his eyes took in the familiar figure in front of him, the concern washed away, replaced by a look of absolute hate, a look Cloud knew well.

Cloud's shoulders were shaking violently, and he was still shedding tears, but they were hardly noticeable. He took a few sharp breaths, trying to calm himself. But he was just growing angry. "I fucking hate you!" he screamed, kicking the wall beside him. This earned him a few stares from a group of freshmen, who were a few metres away. He threw them an icy glare, causing them to rush off, pretending they had places to be.

Cloud was still seething, and was struggling to calm down. Everything about Zack made him furious. Three years ago, Cloud and Zack had been best friends. But Cloud did something stupid, and fucked it up. Zack's hated him ever since. Cloud returned the feeling. "Calm down Cloud," he muttered to himself, clenching his fists and walking towards his next class.

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><p>Zack was still standing, completely shell-shocked, in the bathroom. Cloud had been crying. Cloud's wrists had been covered in blood. What was wrong? He sighed loudly, regaining his composure, and tightening his grip on the strap that was falling down his shoulder. He pushed the bathroom door open, and walked out, looking around for Cloud. When he couldn't find the blonde, his heart sunk slightly.<p>

He didn't feel up to going to class, so he walked in the other direction, out of the main school building and off the property, walking to the park, the place where he used to run to every time his parents fought. The place he went to when everything got too much. He would run away to his park, and cry until he couldn't breathe anymore.

The day he met Cloud was the day when things with his parents got real bad. It was his seventh birthday. He had been so anxious the night before that he hadn't slept very much. When he finally did fall asleep, shouting from his parents' room woke him up. He was scared, so he got up, and walked to his parents' bedroom, clutching his chocobo plushy in his hand. He stood by the door, and watched horrified as his dad swung his fist, connecting with his mother's nose. His eyes widened, and the little raven haired boy shrieked. His dad turned around, and he ran. He ran fast, trying to remember the way to the park.

When he got there, he plonked himself into a swing, and started to cry. He bawled his eyes out, clutching his little chocobo tightly. He hadn't cried so hard in his life. Nobody in the world had ever cried as much as he was crying now. He rubbed at his eyes, willing the tears to stop. A pair of arms wrapping around him startled him.

It wasn't his mum or dad, so he hugged back, crying into the mop of blonde hair beneath his face. When his tears subsided, he let go of the little kid that was embracing him. The blonde did the same. He couldn't be any older than six, and his eyes were ocean blue, and sparkling. "I'm Cloud," the little blonde said with a smile. Zack smiled back a little bit. "I'm Zack," Cloud smiled a bit more, showing his little white teeth. "I seen you wearing your pee-jamies, and thought it was funny so I came over here. Then I heard your tears. Are you okay?"

Cloud and Zack became best friends that day. They were completely inseparable. Whenever Zack got sad, Cloud would always be there with a smile on his face, to give Zack a hug. He was Zack's little chocobo. Cloud helped him to grow stronger. Cloud helped him the day when Zack's whole world was shattered.

Zack had dragged Cloud to his house, eager to show him all the new toys he got for his tenth birthday. When they reached Zack's driveway, they were puzzled. "Zack, why is there a police car here?" Cloud asked. Zack shrugged in confusion. Cloud reached for Zack's hand, and Zack took it, gripping hard.

They walked together into Zack's house. "Mummy, daddy?" The raven haired boy called out. He heard voices in the living room, so he walked in that direction, Cloud hot on his heels. When they walked into the living room, Zack wished he hadn't. His mum was slumped on the couch, her hand gripping a gun, and her blood splattered across the couch's fabric.

Zack collapsed, letting go of Cloud's hand. He screamed, and screamed, and screamed. He screamed until his lungs felt like they would explode. Cloud's eyes welled up with tears, and they flowed down his face. Zack stood up, and hugged his best friend. "Cloudy? Are you okay?" he asked, squeezing Cloud. "Your mummy-," was all the blonde could splutter out.

Zack flinched at the memory. "Where did it all go wrong Cloudy?"

**Authors notes:**

**Is this a yaoi? Maybe, maybe not. **

**Is it a sappy emo story? No, but Cloud is a cutter, and they both have some serious problems.**

**Are they going to become friends again? It's a secret (:**

**Want real answers to these questions? REVIEW 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, rather decent sized authors note after the chapter, which I apoligize for shortness and shittiness..**

**Disclaimer****: Fictional, I only own tee plot line. Don't sue me -hides behind Zack-**

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><p>No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget what happened today in the bathroom with Cloud. What was going through Cloud's head? Was he alright? Zack strummed his fingers on the wall beside his bed, trying to ignore the nagging voice in his head, telling him to call Cloud.<p>

Zack grabbed his iPod, and put the headphones in his ears, turning the volume up loud. He focused on the pounding bass, letting the music absorb him. His previous thoughts and worries about Cloud slowly faded away, as did every other conscious thought he had. Slowly but surely, the music lulled him into the blissful unconsciousness we call sleep.

When Zack awoke the next morning, he felt relaxed and calm. He hadn't dreamed the night before, which was good. He knew what his dreams would have been about - Cold silver metal, blood, blonde hair. Zack clenched his fists, thinking of the next task ahead of him, school.

Walking towards his mammoth wardrobe, he shed his clothes from the night before, and sifted through his drawers for the white button down shirt, and dress pants he was forced to wear every day. He grabbed the tie that sat atop this dresser, and a pair of deep red boxers. He pulled the boxers and trousers on, walking out of his wardrobe.

He snatched up his phone from his bed before walking into the long expanse of hallways leading to the kitchen. Pulling on his shirt, he pushed open the kitchen door, and was greeted with a delightful scent. "Smell's good Anne," Zack said, embracing the elderly lady with a smile. He only got to enjoy it for a moment longer, before a shrill voice pierced the air around him.

"Are you up Zachary?" Zack groaned, quickly attempting to do up the buttons on his shirt. The bony figure of his stepmother, Abigail walked into the kitchen, wrapping her arms around Zack for a few seconds, before letting him go and giving him a quick once over. "For once, could you learn to dress like a human being? And comb your hair," She said disdainfully, running her fingers through his dark locks.

He heard Anne chuckle behind him; quiet enough that Abigail couldn't hear her. The 'Lady of the House' didn't appreciate her staff communicating with any member of her family in even a remotely personal level. Zack hated that about his stepmother, more than anything else.

When Zack's father remarried 4 years ago, the boy had unfortunately been dragged along, in spite of his protests. Being shoved into a new home, with a new family who was rich as fuckery, Zack had hated it all. Designer clothes, sports cars, cash -none of it mattered to him. All he wanted was to see his mother again; no amount of money would make him warm up to the idea of a replacement mother.

And that's where Anne came in. She was an eccentric old woman, with ideas about everything, and she had lots of ideas when it came to 'Lady Abigail.' Zack had loved the fact that he was not the only one who didn't care for the stupid bitch in the slightest. Zack looked up to Anne as a motherly figure, and he would never choose Abigail over her.

That shrill voice interrupted his train of thought. "Your father has already left, and I would appreciate it if you drove Rufus to school this morning, as his car is still at the mechanics," Zack rolled his eyes. Of course it's at the mechanics, he thought angrily. "Sure," he muttered, cursing at her under his breath. He thought she heard him, because a scowl formed on her face, and she opened her mouth, but was interrupted by Anne announcing that breakfast was ready.

Zack dug into his breakfast, forcing it down as quickly as he could. Both women in the room stared at him in a look of disgust -or horror, he didn't really know. "What?" he asked through a mouthful of pancake. Anne stifled a laugh, and Abigail's scowl deepened. "Zack, what happened to table etiquette?" Zack shoved the last of his pancakes into his mouth in one bite, making a point that he had none.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, to brush his teeth, and to tame his messy hair a little bit, Zack grabbed his jacket and bag from inside his bedroom, and walked to the door, yelling out to Rufus that if he wanted a ride, he needed to come now. Rufus appeared in less than 30 seconds, looking pristine and perfect; his blonde hair slicked back, his uniform free of lint and wrinkles, his shoes black and shining. Next to Rufus, Zack was a mess- Which is exactly the look he wanted.

Quickly rummaging through his bag, he found his car keys, and quickly pressed the button connected to his key chain, which unlocked the car. He opened the car door, and slipped inside, depositing his bag and jacket on the back seat. Rufus mirrored the action from the passenger side. Pushing the key into the ignition, he flicked his wrist; the engine roared to life, filling the car with a mixture of different sounds that Zack loved.

The purr of the engine and the music blasting from his sound system was like music to Zack's ears. Rufus looked visibly uncomfortable from the music, and Zack turned it down, receiving a grateful look from the blonde. "Let's go," he whispered, putting the car into drive and pushing down on the acceleration pedal.

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><p>"Earth to Cloud, hell-oo?" Cloud snapped out of his daydream and focused his attention on the hand in front of his face. He then moved his eyes upwards, and stared absently at the taller male beside him. "A penny for your thoughts?" Vincent asked, concern washing over his usually stern features.<p>

Cloud sighed, turning back to his locker, once again focusing on entering the right combination. The lock clicked, and he yanked it open, a piece of paper floating downward, landing softly beside his feet. Cloud bent down, and picked up the piece of paper, struggling to read the nearly illegible scrawl. "THE FIRST STEP TO BEATING YOUR ADDICTION IS ADMITTING TO IT." Cloud scowled, and Vincent pried the paper from his grip, confusing filling his face as he took in what was written.

"Cloud?" The blonde boy snatched back the paper angrily, and shoved in his bag, along with the few things he had come to his locker to retrieve. He slammed the locker shut, and turned to face Vincent. "It's nothing," he said in a quiet voice, although he himself did not sound convinced that this was the truth. Vincent's deep scarlet eyes bore into him, and he felt guilt wash through his body. He normally didn't keep secrets from the dark haired male, and he didn't want to any longer either.

He opened his mouth, but it was a useless gesture, as he couldn't force any words past his lips. Instead, he drew in a shaky breath, pushed himself up onto the tip of his toes, and pressed his lips against the older teens'. Vincent's lips remained motionless for a few moments before he responded; meshing his owns lips together with Cloud's. Vincent's hand flittered up and caressed Cloud's soft cheek. The pair remained oblivious to the stares and whispers surrounding them.

Vincent removed his lips from Cloud's soon after and scarlet met azure. "Tell me when you're ready squirt," Vincent said with one of his rare smiles. Cloud gave a weak nod and watched Vincent walk away. Cloud was hesitant to walk to homeroom. Vincent was his only friend, and sadly the elder teen was a senior so Cloud had to survive without him. It was only the first week of term and already Cloud felt like hell came early.

He trudged to his homeroom class slowly, dragging his feet. He opened the door sluggishly and was greeted by catcalls and wolf whistling. "Hey blondie how's vamps?" "Fucking emos" "Faggot" No one was defending him, they never did. The strange thing was none of the torment came from Zack today. In fact, when Cloud scanned the room and found the raven, he looked withdrawn and bored. Cloud's bag seemingly grew heavier as he remembered the note he found in his locker that morning. But instead of confronting Zack, Cloud remained a coward and sauntered over to his seat at the back of the classroom.

"You should just talk to him Cloud," Cloud whipped his head to the left in response. "Aerith? Why are you talking to me? Aren't you Zack's girlfriend?" Cloud wasn't used to asking so many questions at once but frankly, he was clueless as to why a girl was talking to him, let alone Zack's girlfriend.

"I'm not his girlfriend, just his friend. And no one ever talks to you Cloud, isn't it a nice change?"

"Ahh, you shouldn't be talking to me otherwise you might oland yourself in the same situation,"

Cloud cringed at his own words. It was a nice change that someone, anyone was talking to him, but the truth needed to be said. Aerith smiled, but didn't make any motion as if she was going to move. "So be it. You only have one friend and he's a senior, right?" Cloud nodded meekly. "So, now you have two. And I have a few classes with you this year so why not,"

"But- I, thanks Aerith," Cloud said with a smile.

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><p><strong>Okay so I have to apoligize big time for making you wait so damn long for an update. I had the second chapter half typed up so fast on my laptop, and then I forgot to check it again so it all kind of died. Mock exams came along shortly after I posted the first chapter, and then a month later my real exams started : Yay for exams..**

**I updated today because I was strolling through my account page thing(man I'm SOOO articulate today) and I came across the traffic stats. When I saw I have 4 subscribers and 1 favourite I was inspired to finish the chapter.. Although the writing style deteriorates close to the end. The original end moved the plot along a little to fast so that was my little fix. **

**There will be some other side pairings.. Vincent and Cloud won't last that long, it isn't my favourite pairing but it just happened. RENO GETS SOME ACTION IN THIS BY THE WAY. Just putting that out there for all you Reno lovers :3  
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**I hope you enjoy the chapter, I really fell in love with this story when I first started writing it and I hope you fall in love with it as well. I'll try get an update out quicker this time but no promises, I'm a procrastinator..  
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**Reviews would be nice (:**


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